My visit to Salisbury Elementary!

Tucked into the gentle farmlands of Lancaster County is this amazing school. I should have known a great day was ahead when, as I was driving to the school,

I saw a giant X in the sky in the direction of the school. Truly, X did mark the spot for buried treasure, for all day long (and into the evening) I was discovering minds with priceless ideas!

Attention! Doodlers at work!

The ideas started flowing in each assembly with these two "Doodle Teams." They helped to set the pace for the creativity that followed.

Here's the first story from the assemblies. This one had a lizard working hard to get his first taste of one of Pete's Pork Burgers.

And in this one, a flying horse tries to sample the green grass in a nearby yard, but finds it guarded by a dragon!

The day kept going that same fun way. In a lovely library, I met with each class and we brainstormed story ideas -- the ones that you can see in the column on the right. What fun we had! The thing about making stories is that one never knows where they can end up. I love that!

My thanks to all at Salisbury Elementary school for such a wonderful time. And kids, let my visit with you be just a reminder of how great your ideas can be. But to keep having great ideas, you have to keep using them. Share your stories and drawings with others!

Here's what teachers at Salisbury wrote about my time at their school:

"I thought that the brainstorming workshop was terrific! The students were totally engaged during the whole session... I'm anxious to try this with my own class of students."

"Hey, Martha, if I only had a brain like these kids, I'd have great stories too!"

Workshop wonders!

I try to let kids know that with stories, no matter how strange they might turn out, making them is so much fun!

The Ultimate Practical Joke. Kids had this idea of making the best practical joker a mouse! This mouse has kidnapped dogs, and a boy prankster uses his cat to help him rescue the dogs. (The boy is hidden in the coat)

In The Tale of the Clumsy Pirate, our hero tries to rescue a mermaid who's been taken captive by rival pirates. Yo ho ho!

Kindergarten came up with a story about a rabbit who hides in a tree, but can't get down, even when his friend helps. Good thing a cardinal came by!

Pick the ingredients to stories and click through to see how I've started them. Then you finish the story!

Make a character out of some funny people I've drawn for you!

Here are a bunch of actual drawings I've done in schools. Use them to write your own story!